1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a heat pump process and apparatus which is applicable to desalination and power generation, water distillation and power generation, cooling of thermal plant cooling water discharges. More particularly this invention relates to a process and apparatus comprising an evaporator and a condenser where the heating and cooling sources are both obtained from the ocean waters and the products of the process are distilled or desalinated water and electrical energy in excess of that required to operate the apparatus as a result of the mass flow of vapors between the evaporator and the condenser driving a prime mover coupled to an electrical generator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The shortage of oil and natural gas is rapidly becoming a significant problem for manufacturers and producers in the United States. The increasing price of fossilized fuel presents a very serious problem to producers of electrical energy and to desalination plants in particular. Accordingly, other sources of energy are being investigated and it is natural that the oceans of the world are being investigated particularly in those areas of the ocean such as the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf stream off Florida, the Carribbean and the equatorial waters in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans where considerable temperature differences exist between the surface waters, say 78.degree. F. to 88.degree. F., and the deep water several thousand feet deep, say 40.degree. F. The natural approach to the utilization of these differential temperatures has led to research of various refrigeration cycles using the warm surface water to `boil` a low boiling point refrigerant such as ammonia or freon and the cold deep water to effect condensing of the refrigerant. A turbine type of device in the refrigerant loop would drive electrical generators to produce electricity and to further operate desalination plants.
In the very areas where the ocean waters provide significant temperature differentials, fossilized fuel is used to operate large desalination plants for the conversion of ocean or salt water to drinking water.
The thermal pollution as a result of hot water discharge from thermal and thermal nuclear generating plants and the usual nearby water cooling sources offer additional opportunities for devices using temperature differentials as energy sources.
Therefore an object of this invention is to provide a process and apparatus using ocean or other waters with high temperature differentials to produce distilled or desalinated water with excess electricity as an additional product. The balance of said outputs of distilled or desalinated water and electricity being a function of a particular individual design. This invention provides an improvement which is a significant improvement to the advancement of the art of distillation and desalination and the art of thermal energy conversion.
Another object of this invention is to provide a means whereby the oceans that are warmed by the sun and the cold deep ocean waters can be used directly to evaporate and condense ocean waters for effective desalinating.
Another object of this invention is to provide a means for using any sources of water that have large temperature differentials to operate an apparatus that distills or desalinates water and produces electrical energy.
Another object of this invention is to incorporate in said process and apparatus a means of using the vapors from the evaporating and condensing process to drive a prime mover which is connected to a generator providing the electrical energy to operate the apparatus and additionally to provide excess electrical energy for external usage.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process and apparatus with a barometric leg to maintain the process and apparatus at the saturation pressure level of the warm ocean water, or other warm water source, in the apparatus while permitting thermal circulation of the said warm water to the evaporator.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process and apparatus with a barometric leg at the condenser to permit removal of condensed vapors from the negative pressure of the system while maintaining this pressure.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process and apparatus with a vacuum pump to establish the initial saturation, or negative, pressure of the process and apparatus and to remove non-condensable vapors during operation of the process and apparatus.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process and apparatus with a pump and conduit means to bring deep ocean water, or other cooling water, in contact with the condenser and to return this condensing water to the ocean or other return source.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process and apparatus with an evaporator wherein ocean, or other warm water, is evaporated.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process and apparatus with a condenser wherein the vapors from the evaporator are brought into thermal contact with the condensing water in the condenser.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process and apparatus with a barometric conduit in contact with the evaporator and located between the evaporator and the ocean surface, or other warm water source, of such sufficient size as to allow thermal circulation of the ocean water, or other warm water source, in the barometric conduit to replace the warm water in the evaporator which is cooled when evaporation takes place removing the heat of vaporization from the surface of the warm water in the evaporator.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process and apparatus with a pump and conduit means to draw in warm surface ocean water, or other warm water source, and direct it upwardly in the barometric conduit between the evaporator and the ocean surface, or surface of any other warm water source, to induce and assist thermal circulation in the said barometric conduit.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process and apparatus with a particle separation chamber located above the evaporator and between the evaporator and the conduit connecting the vaporator and the condenser. This particle separation means comprises an enlarged chamber wherein the vapors from the evaporator are reduced in velocity thereby allowing liquid or particles to settle back into the evaporator.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process and apparatus with a barometric conduit at the condenser, a liquid level control at the top of the barometric conduit and a condensate water out valve at the bottom of the said conduit to maintain the desired height of condensate water in the barometric conduit and, the outlet pressure of the condensate water at the outlet valve.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process and apparatus with an electrical control to direct electrical energy from the electrical generator to the elements of the apparatus that require power such as the vacuum pump, cooling water pump, and recirculating pump and to direct any excess electrical power for external usage.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process and an apparatus with a means of using ocean water, as other warm water source, as the refrigerant fluid, eliminating the necessity of additional refrigerants. The vapors of the fluid water, to be, as a result of the process, will be at the saturation pressure corresponding to the temperatures in the various portions of the apparatus.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process and an apparatus with a heat source, a conduit having sufficient height as to form a barometric leg, a pump and conduit means to induce and direct circulation in the barometric leg, an evaporator means, a particle separation means, a conduit means to connect said evaporator means to a condenser means, a prime mover interposed in said conduit means, a generator means coupled to said prime mover means, an electrical control means, a condenser means, pump and conduit means to pump cooling water to said condenser means and to return the condensing or cooling water to the cooling water source, a conduit from said condenser means of such height as to form a barometric leg and having additional height as to obtain the desired pressure of condensate water in the said barometric conduit means to remove the same from the apparatus, a level control, a condensate water out valve and a vacuum pump means.
Other objects and a fuller understanding of this invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the description and the claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.